Meralco Bolts beat Macau Black Bears to open EASL bid

FILE–e Meralco Bolts in the PBA Governors Cup. They are currently competing in the EASL Season 2. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Meralco set aside the disappointment of its playoff exit on the domestic front to take down the Macau Black Bears, 97-85, to open the East Asia Super League campaign on a high note Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.

The Bolts’ main figures led the charge in controlling most of the game and claimed a victory that came two nights after being handed a three-game sweep by Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals.

Chris Newsome, Chris Banchero, imports Allen Durham and DJ Kennedy and naturalized player Ange Kouame were instrumental for Meralco, back in the EASL for the second straight time by virtue of winning last season’s PBA Philippine Cup crown.

READ: PBA: Allen Durham shifts focus on Meralco Bolts’ next mission

It was only Meralco’s second win in the EASL, and first on home soil after last year’s lone victory against Japan’s Ryukyu Golden Kings was held in Macau.

Newsome had 18 points, three rebounds, six assists and three steals, Durham posted 17 points, 11 rebounds and four assists while Kennedy tallied 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

Banchero scored 14 and Kouame produced nine points and nine rebounds in his role as Meralco’s naturalized player for the competition.

READ: San Miguel falls to South Korea’s KT Sonicboom in EASL opener

The opener will be the start of a lean couple of months for the Bolts, who will play two more EASL games before the PBA Commissioner’s Cup tips off later in the year.

Chinese-Taipei naturalized player Will Artino and import Jeantal Cylla scored 23 points apiece while Damian Chongqui added 21 for Macau, a late addition to the EASL tourney after coming off a campaign in The Asian Tournament.

Meralco led for the majority of the contest, but it took until late in the third quarter to break the game wide open in its favor.